Luhya Leaders are too Poor to be elected Presidents- Francis Atwoli

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU)Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has sensationally claimed that political leaders from Western region should forget about the presidency owing to their lukewarm financial muscles.

Atwoli said the region has not produced a president since independence because those who have tried have no financial muscle and therefore get a raw deal at the bargaining table when positions are being shared out.

The controversial trade unionist revealed that he has already set aside Sh500 million towards the presidential kitty for a candidate from the region and challenged Luhya politicians and businessmen to chip in if they are serious about winning the top seat with a target of at least Sh10 billion for the 2022 campaigns.

“I have friends worldwide and when I approached them with the idea, they gave me money wholeheartedly and as we speak, I have set aside Sh500 million for the 2022 campaign. We want to support one candidate for the presidency to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta,” said Atwoli.

He added that: “Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang’ula and Wycliffe Oparanya have all declared their interest for the top seat. We will decide who among the three and any other person who will show interest in the seat, to support. But first we must raise Sh10 billion for the campaign.”

He said that the candidate who will be given the blessings of the Mulembe nation to go for the top seat will be selected in 2021 during a ‘Bukhungu Declaration’.

“All candidates from Western Kenya eyeing the presidency will undergo vigorous vetting, we will conduct an opinion poll to get the most popular candidate and even subject them to a nomination exercise. We’re determined to get to State House in 2022 by all means,” told the Nairobian

In the last opinion poll commissioned by Atwoli early in 2017, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi was declared the Luhya spokesperson. He led the pack with 39 per cent, followed by Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, both of whom polled 30 per cent.

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